2. Peggy Clay

Peggy Clay, wife of Leroy, of Grass Valley passed away March 3, 2016, at home. Leroy is Sherman County’s recycle man. A celebration of life will be at Grass Valley Baptist Church on Saturday, April 2 at 11 a.m., with a potluck to follow. An account in memory of Peggy is set up at Bank of Eastern Oregon. Questions? Please call Leta Ann Reckmann 541-325-2993.

3. Step It Up Sherman 2016

Back for its second is the do-it-yourself walking program STEP IT UP SHERMAN 2016! This community-wide wellness activity is brought to local residents by OSU Sherman County Extension, the Sherman County Health District, and the Sherman County Wellness Center.

STEP IT UP SHERMAN 2016! is a self-paced program to encourage Sherman County residents to “step it up” with their physical activity. Over 70 people participated in the program last year, with great enthusiasm for the step-tracking logbooks and use of pedometers, weekly motivational emails, weekly prizes, a Facebook page, monthly group activities, and a Walking 4 Wellness book for everyone who completed the 12-week activity.

The added focus for 2016 will be fruits and vegetables…more matters! Let’s make fruits and vegetables about half of what you eat…every time you eat. The foundation of your healthy lifestyle needs to be the food you eat (you can’t out-exercise a bad diet).

Come to the kick-off event on Saturday, March 12 at noon at the Sherman Extension Office in Moro. Register, pick up a logbook to track your steps or other physical activity, purchase a pedometer if you don’t already have a device, and enjoy a free all-you-can-eat healthy salad bar lunch. Then…go for a walk out past the Sherman Fairgrounds, and get in your steps for the day.

To register or get more information, contact OSU Sherman County Extension: 541-565-3230 or email cindy.brown@oregonstate.edu, and check out the Step It Up Sherman Facebook page.

4. Central Oregon Road Construction UPDATE: Week of March 7, 2016

For further information contact: Peter Murphy 541-388-6224

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is continuing to invest in Oregon’s future with roadway improvement projects throughout Oregon’s central region (ODOT Region 4). ODOT is committed to providing a safe, efficient transportation system. The following projects reflect ODOT’s commitment to make improvements as traffic numbers rise and to make the roadways safer and more efficient for drivers. All work is dependent on weather conditions. Red denotes new or updated information.

WASCO COUNTY

I-84: The Dalles – Fifteenmile Creek MP 83.5 – 88.5

Wildish Standard Paving Company will be replacing the concrete pavement located on Interstate 84 within the city limits of The Dalles. They will also be constructing a new bridge on I-84 over Threemile Creek. The work will take place in stages in order to minimize delays and ensure that both freeway lanes are open in each direction during peak traffic volumes.

For the week of March 7th, 2016. The contractor will continue concrete paving operations. Beginning March 10th the contractor will begin to shift traffic control devices around the exit 87 interchange in preparation for a traffic staging shift.

All – I84 will be reduced to a single lane in both the east and westbound direction. Speeds have been reduced to 50mph through the construction zone.

KERR Contractors will be replacing 29 miles of pavement on U.S. 97 between Grass Valley (MP 27.1) and Shaniko (MP 56.7). The project also includes the construction of passing lanes between MP 43.8 and MP 45.4, installation of new highway signs between Moro and Madras, and adding ADA compliant sidewalk ramps in Grass Valley.

For the week of March 7th, 2016. The Contractor will be performing some aggregate processing in King Quarry. No other work is being performed onsite. There will be no delays to motorists.

5. Food Preservation Classes in the Gorge

2015 marked the 35th anniversary of the OSU Extension Service Master Food Preserver program. Food safety is a practical public health priority and home food preservation continues to be of great interest to a large and highly diverse segment of our communities.

Recruitment for 2016 Master Food Preserver trainings is under way in many counties across the state. Increased interest in sustainable living and emergency preparedness are the most recent trends contributing to the interest in safe, healthy food preservation.

The Extension Service has provided research-based information on this topic for most of its existence and continues to be the preferred source for current, research-based information across the nation. The majority of the nearly 4,000 calls to the OSU Extension Service toll-free food preservation and safety hotline were based on safety issues that could have impacted the health and lives of Oregonians.

In the Columbia Gorge, there are two options for learning safe food preservation techniques. The first is to sign up for any of the “ala carte” classes offered by OSU Extension in Hood River and The Dalles. These classes, ranging in topic from drying to jams/jellies to fermenting to pressure canning, are offered during the summer months, at a cost of $10/class.

The second option is to apply to become a Master Food Preserver and take the 7 week certification course. These classes will be held in The Dalles on Tuesdays 9am-4pm April 19 through May 31. After the classes, participants “pay back” the program by volunteering in their communities and teaching others about safe food preservation. Course fee is $125, scholarships are available.

For information on the “ala carte” food preservation classes or the Master Food Preserver course, contact Lauren Kraemer at OSU Hood River and Wasco County Extension, 541-386-3343 x 38258 or email lauren.kraemer@oregonstate.edu.

The psychology of narcissism – W. Keith Campbell Narcissism … is a set of traits classified and studied by psychologists. But what causes it? And can narcissists improve on their negative traits? W. Keith Campbell describes the psychology behind the elevated and sometimes detrimental self-involvement of narcissists. http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-psychology-of-narcissism-w-keith-Campbell